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Half-term comes early this year, which makes a tasting celebrating my 50th in London possible without colliding with my wife’s birthday, half term, or bonfire night; I therefore propose to organise a tasting on Tuesday 29th Oct at B&F.

Date: Tue 29 Oct 2019
Time: 6pm
Location: B&F, The Ovens
Theme "69" - bring a bottle of port (other than TV69) somehow related to the number 69.

With the ’69 vintage itself being very limited for quality port, I’m proposing the broader theme, simply for bottles to somehow relate to the number 69. So for example, this could include:
• port from ’69 [but not TV69! see note below]
• port bottled in ’69
• 69-year-old port
• port bottled 69 years ago
• port of which only 69 cases was made
• the 69th bottle of port in your cellar
• a bottle that cost you £69
• a bottle bought from the merchant at 69 Something Street
• a bottle from the 69th page of JDAW’s book (no, I haven’t checked)
• a bottle from the 69th producer registered with the IVDP
...
(etc, you get the idea)

My intention is for this to be a blind tasting; or rather, almost-blind. I will provide a bottle of TV69 in addition to whatever else I decide to bring, which would then be the only sighted bottle; all others to be blind and not TV69, thereby avoiding the risk of a TV69 verizontal (and avoiding the need for a non-attending arbiter to check for duplications).

Attendees:

1. PhilW
2. JDAW
3. CPR
4. SCD
5. MPM
6. IDJ
7. AHB
8. PR (AHB's +1)
9. DRL
10. THRA
11. WS

Reserves/maybe:

• BMHR
• rich_n

Current version of the food order.

Current version of the placemats.

Yes please.

PhilW wrote:- a bottle from the 69th page of JDAW's book (no, I haven't checked)

People can send me requests for Ports to be included on page 69 of the mini second edition.

Yes please


Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

Yes please

Yes please.

Yes please. Great idea

Phil. I love the theme. But it is half-term for us that week so I suspect my chances are very limited. Can I be first on the reserve list with a view to trying to arrange participation nearer the event if logistics allow?

Ben

Yes please!

And for me please.

Yes please. Now I have to figure out what to bring. Maybe the 69th bottle I consider bringing...

Yes please. An excellent theme. I will work something out.

Count me in..

I've just thought what I can bring - a bottle of 1996 FG; 1996 being almost 1969.

AHB wrote:I've just thought what I can bring - a bottle of 1996 FG; 1996 being almost 1969.

You now have 68 attempts remaining.

AHB wrote:I've just thought what I can bring - a bottle of 1996 FG; 1996 being almost 1969.

Perhaps 3 bottles of FG 1996, since they will be 69 years old between them. Although technically the brief is "a" bottle of port, so perhaps not.

DaveRL wrote: ↑20:47 Sun 10 Feb 2019

AHB wrote:I've just thought what I can bring - a bottle of 1996 FG; 1996 being almost 1969.

Perhaps 3 bottles of FG 1996, since they will be 69 years old between them. Although technically the brief is "a" bottle of port, so perhaps not.

Though if you had a tregnum...

TV '67 is a great Port... y'all should make sure you have one for this tasting. Though you do have to be careful about the theme in this case, as I've had bottles that were bottled in both '69 and '70.

PhilW wrote: ↑16:58 Sun 10 Feb 2019

AHB wrote:I've just thought what I can bring - a bottle of 1996 FG; 1996 being almost 1969.

You now have 68 attempts remaining.

Does this scupper my idea of bringing a 1960?

DRT wrote: ↑20:02 Mon 11 Feb 2019

PhilW wrote: ↑16:58 Sun 10 Feb 2019

AHB wrote:I've just thought what I can bring - a bottle of 1996 FG; 1996 being almost 1969.

You now have 68 attempts remaining.

Does this scupper my idea of bringing a 1960?

Not at all, with the assumed justification of "it has a 6 and a 9 in it".
There was nothing wrong with FG96 either, on the same basis (and I quite like FG96) but I was taking into account AHB's previous post also:

AHB wrote: ↑22:37 Fri 08 Feb 2019 Now I have to figure out what to bring. Maybe the 69th bottle I consider bringing...

PhilW wrote: ↑20:59 Mon 11 Feb 2019

DRT wrote: ↑20:02 Mon 11 Feb 2019

PhilW wrote: ↑16:58 Sun 10 Feb 2019

AHB wrote:I've just thought what I can bring - a bottle of 1996 FG; 1996 being almost 1969.

You now have 68 attempts remaining.

Does this scupper my idea of bringing a 1960?

Not at all, with the assumed justification of "it has a 6 and a 9 in it".
There was nothing wrong with FG96 either, on the same basis (and I quite like FG96) but I was taking into account AHB's previous post also:

AHB wrote: ↑22:37 Fri 08 Feb 2019 Now I have to figure out what to bring. Maybe the 69th bottle I consider bringing...

OK. For the purposes of blind guessing can everyone please forget this conversation?

(The Ovens booked)

Hi,

If there is still a free space I would like to attend too.

Rgds
WS1

WS1 wrote:If there is still a free space I would like to attend too.

Yes, added

Tony is unfortunately no longer able to make the date.

I would like to try and make this but won't know until I get my October trip planned. Could I please be added to the "Maybe" list?

rich_n wrote: ↑16:12 Wed 11 Sep 2019 I would like to try and make this but won't know until I get my October trip planned. Could I please be added to the "Maybe" list?

Done.

As I will be out of the country for the week prior to the tasting, would some kind soul perhaps be prepared to take charge of the food order for me for this tasting? (as I may be out of email/net contact at the crucial time for submitting the order).

PhilW wrote: ↑07:53 Wed 09 Oct 2019As I will be out of the country for the week prior to the tasting, would some kind soul perhaps be prepared to take charge of the food order for me for this tasting? (as I may be out of email/net contact at the crucial time for submitting the order).

Yes, I will.

Out of interest, does anybody know who was the 69th producer registered with the IVDP?

jdaw1 wrote: ↑09:08 Wed 09 Oct 2019

PhilW wrote: ↑07:53 Wed 09 Oct 2019As I will be out of the country for the week prior to the tasting, would some kind soul perhaps be prepared to take charge of the food order for me for this tasting? (as I may be out of email/net contact at the crucial time for submitting the order).

Yes, I will.

Thank you very much.

Current version of the food order. Please let this thread know of wanted changes.

Current version of the placemats. Please let this thread know of errors or needed changes.

Apologies but I will have to withdraw from this tasting.

Happy 50th Birthday to Phil when it comes and I hope you all enjoy the guessing.

jdaw1 wrote: ↑19:36 Sat 19 Oct 2019Current version of the food order. Please let this thread know of wanted changes.

Food order updated. I intend to send this evening. Please inspect and concur or disagree, soon.

jdaw1 wrote: ↑15:39 Fri 25 Oct 2019

jdaw1 wrote: ↑19:36 Sat 19 Oct 2019Current version of the food order. Please let this thread know of wanted changes.

Food order updated. I intend to send this evening. Please inspect and concur or disagree, soon.

DRT wrote: ↑09:27 Tue 22 Oct 2019 Apologies but I will have to withdraw from this tasting.

DRT removed (sorry). Any other fixes?

jdaw1 wrote: ↑15:39 Fri 25 Oct 2019

jdaw1 wrote: ↑19:36 Sat 19 Oct 2019Current version of the food order. Please let this thread know of wanted changes.

Food order updated. I intend to send this evening. Please inspect and concur or disagree, soon.

Can I swap to a fillet steak black and blue, with chips and green beans. Thank you.

Can I please abstain from food on this tasting. Unfortunately to be able to make the tasting I need to catch the train up from Weymouth in the afternoon and then travel back the same evening as I have a lot of bookings for breakfast the next day. My last train is 9pm from Waterloo so I will be leaving a before the end. Apologies for the shorter attendance and I am looking forward to a fine celebration and interesting juice.

Ps. I believe I may currently be down in the food order with the default for SCP rather than SCD.

Phil - it's short notice, but could I bring a guest please? We'll order their food on the night. His initials are PR and he's right handed.

I can also print the placemats on Tuesday morning and expect to have them at the B&F about 6pm.

jdaw1 wrote: ↑19:36 Sat 19 Oct 2019Current version of the placemats. Please let this thread know of errors or needed changes.

The placemats have been updated. Please check.

DRT wrote: ↑09:27 Tue 22 Oct 2019 Apologies but I will have to withdraw from this tasting.

Happy 50th Birthday to Phil when it comes and I hope you all enjoy the guessing.

Thanks Derek - a shame you will not be able to join us.

AHB wrote: ↑10:11 Sat 26 Oct 2019 Phil - it's short notice, but could I bring a guest please? We'll order their food on the night. His initials are PR and he's right handed.

Of course, absolutely.

AHB wrote: ↑10:11 Sat 26 Oct 2019 I can also print the placemats on Tuesday morning and expect to have them at the B&F about 6pm.

Thank you. I should be there between 5:30 and 6:00pm.

jdaw1 wrote: ↑19:36 Sat 19 Oct 2019 Current version of the food order. Please let this thread know of wanted changes.

Current version of the placemats. Please let this thread know of errors or needed changes.

Thank you for handling the food order in my absence, and sorting the placemats. One query on placemats: we clearly don't need to guess what the TV69 is so it makes sense that that row is all Xs, but you also have a partial vertical column of Xs as well, as if you (JDAW) are not guessing most of the ports, that I suspect is an error?

PhilW wrote: ↑14:40 Sun 27 Oct 2019One query on placemats: we clearly don't need to guess what the TV69 is so it makes sense that that row is all Xs, but you also have a partial vertical column of Xs as well, as if you (JDAW) are not guessing most of the ports, that I suspect is an error?

There are no known duplications. But I cannot guess.

jdaw1 wrote: ↑09:26 Sun 27 Oct 2019

jdaw1 wrote: ↑19:36 Sat 19 Oct 2019Current version of the placemats. Please let this thread know of errors or needed changes.

The placemats have been updated. Please check.

All looks OK with the placemats I think.

I’ll drop the placemats off around 4pm and then have to go for a meeting. I’ll be back at the B&F about 6pm.

Placemats (and food order) printed and in my bag for tonight.

My bottle decanted 12:45.

B&F has put SW70 on as a “by the glass” special just for Phil’s birthday! Whoo hoo!!